Abstract: A screening device (110) for screening at least one plant specimen (112) in a plurality of plant specimens (114) is disclosed. The screening device (110) comprises a detector (116) adapted for acquiring spatially resolved images (117). The screening device (110) further comprises at least one selection device (118) adapted for selecting a single plant specimen (120) or a group of plant specimens (122) from the plurality of plant specimens (114) for imaging by the detector (116). The selection device (118) comprises a deflection device (124) adapted for deflecting electromagnetic waves propagating between the plant specimens (112) and the detector (116).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a zeolitic material having a CHA framework structure, said zeolitic material comprising zeolite crystals having a core-shell structure, wherein said process comprises the steps of (1) providing a mixture comprising one or more sources for Z2O5, one or more sources for X2O3, optionally one or more structure directing agents, and seed crystals having a CHA framework structure, wherein the CHA framework structure of the seed crystals comprises YO2, X2O3, and optionally Z2O5, and wherein the seed crystals have a diameter of 450 nm or greater; (2) crystallizing the mixture provided in (1) to afford zeolite crystals comprising a core of seed crystal provided in step (1) and a shell crystallized on the seed crystal; wherein Z is a pentavalent element, Y is a tetravalent element, and X is a trivalent element.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions comprising an acrylic block copolymer and a UV-curable copolymer, wherein the composition is capable of being crosslinked by means of ultraviolet radiation. Also disclosed herein are methods of making the compositions disclosed herein, comprising providing an acrylic block copolymer, providing a UV-curable copolymer, heating the acrylic block copolymer, heating the UV-curable copolymer, and mixing them together to form a copolymer blend. The compositions and methods disclosed can be used, for instance, in pressure-sensitive adhesive applications including, but not limited to, labels, films, or tapes.

Abstract: A process for producing a rigid polyurethane foam by reacting an organic polyisocyanate with a polyol component containing a compound with at least two hydrogen atoms which are reactive toward isocyanate groups in the presence of a blowing agent, a catalyst, and optionally auxiliaries and additives, wherein the polyol component contains, by weight: 20 to 60 parts of a polyether alcohol having a functionality of 3.5 to 5.5 and a hydroxyl number of from 400 to 550 mg KOH/g; 1 to 20 parts of a polyether alcohol based on an aliphatic amine and having a functionality of 3.5 to 4.5 and a hydroxyl number of 450 to 900 mg KOH/g; 10 to 30 parts of a polyether alcohol and/or aromatic polyester alcohol having functionalities of 1.5 to 3 and a hydroxyl number of from 150 to 450 mg KOH/g; and optionally 1 to 5 parts of water.

Abstract: A process for the production of a zeolitic material having an LEV-type framework structure comprising YO2 and optionally comprising X203, wherein said process comprises preparing a mixture comprising one or more sources for YO2, one or more solvents, and optionally comprising seed crystals; and crystallizing the mixture; wherein Y is a tetravalent element, and X is a trivalent element, and wherein the crystallized mixture contains 0.1 wt.-% or less, more preferably 0.01 wt.-% or less of one or more metals M based on 100 wt.-% of YO2, wherein even more preferably the crystallized mixture contains no metal M, wherein M stands for sodium and/or potassium, wherein preferably M stands for the group of alkali and alkaline earth metals.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hyperbranched, dendritic, hydroxyl-functional polyester comprising an OH number greater than or equal to 180 mg KOH/g as measured via DIN 53240 and to clearcoat compositions comprising said polyesters. Also disclosed are processes for preparing the disclosed polyester, methods of making coated automotive substrates by applying the disclosed clearcoat compositions to automotive substrates, and to coated substrates made therefrom.

Abstract: The invention relates to pyridylidene compounds of formula (I), to the enantiomers, diastereomers and salts thereof and to compositions comprising such compounds. The invention also relates to methods and uses of these N-substituted pyridylidene compounds, and of compositions comprising thereof, for combating and controlling animal pests. Furthermore the invention relates also to pesticidal methods of applying such N-substituted pyridylidene compounds. The N-substituted pyridylidene compounds of the present invention are defined by the following formula I: wherein X, Het, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R6 are defined as in the description.

Abstract: Mixtures of Guerbet alcohols, their use in cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical preparations, and also cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical preparations comprising mixtures of Guerbet alcohols are described. Of suitability as petroleum jelly substitute are in particular Guerbet alcohol mixtures with a melting range, measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), between ?20° C. and +70° C., where the width of the melting range comprises at least 30 temperature degrees and the maximum of the melting range is 35±10° C. These are obtainable for example by reacting a) 55 to 95% by weight of cetylstearyl alcohol, b) 5 to 45% by weight of fatty alcohols with a chain length of from 8 to 22 carbon atoms and c) optionally an aliphatic diol having at least 3 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A carbamate-functional material is prepared by reacting a carbamate compound with a hydroxy-functional material using titanium (IV) alkoxide as catalyst.

Abstract: An oxidation catalyst composite, methods, and systems for the treatment of exhaust gas emissions from a diesel engine are described. More particularly, an oxidation catalyst composite including a zoned diesel oxidation catalyst with a first washcoat zone with a Pt/Pd ratio that is less than 3:1 and a PGM loading at least twice that of a second washcoat zone.

Abstract: Described is an aqueous polymer dispersion comprising a chain growth addition polymer obtainable via free-radically initiated emulsion polymerization from ethylenically unsaturated, free-radically polymerizable monomers, wherein the chain growth addition polymer is formed to an extent of not less than 60 wt % from primary monomers selected from vinylaromatic compounds, conjugated aliphatic dienes, vinyl esters of saturated C1- to C20-carboxylic acids, esters of acrylic acid or of methacrylic acid with monohydric C1- to C20-alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons having 2 to 8 carbon atoms and one or two double bonds, or mixtures thereof, wherein the monomers are polymerized in the presence of lignosulfonate and wherein the chain growth addition polymer is branched or crosslinked. Also described is a process for preparing the aqueous polymer dispersion. The polymer dispersion is useful for preparing paper coating compositions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing a C8-C22 alkyl (meth)acrylate by transesterification of C1-C2 alkyl (meth)acrylate with a C8-C22 alkanol, said method comprising the steps of (i) reacting C1-C2 alkyl (meth)acrylate with the C8-C22 alkanol in the presence of a particulate potassium phosphate heterogeneous catalyst and a stabilizer thus releasing C1-C2 alkanol, (ii) continuously distilling off the azeotrope of C1-C2 alkyl (meth)acrylate and the C1-C2 alkanol, wherein steps (i) and (ii) are carried out simultaneously until substantially all of the C8-C22 alkanol has reacted, (iii) distilling off unconverted C1-C2 alkyl (meth)acrylate, (iv) washing the C8-C22 alkyl (meth)acrylate-comprising product mixture obtained in steps (i) through (iii) with an aqueous phase to separate off the catalyst and the stabilizer from the product mixture with the aqueous phase and optionally adding a stabilizer, (v) distilling off water from the product mixture, wherein step (iii) may also be effected after step (iv) a

Abstract: Spherical particles comprising a lithiated mixed transition metal oxide comprising nickel, cobalt and manganese and optionally at least one further transition metal, each in cationic form, wherein the carbonate content, calculated as Li2CO3, is in the range from 0.01 to 0.3% by weight, based on overall particles, and the proportion of nickel, plotted against the radius of the particles in question, in the outer region of the particles is at least 10 mol % below the proportion in the core, and the manganese content, plotted against the radius of the particles in question, in the outer region of the particles is at least 10 mol % above the proportion in the core, and where mol % are based on the total transition metal content.

Abstract: The invention describes a preparation process of pressure sensitive adhesives, wherein a multi-stage emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization and applications of the obtained dispersions for pressure sensitive protective films are included. At least one carboxylic acid group containing monomer is used in the first stage of emulsion polymerization. The theoretical glass transition temperatures are lower than 0° C. (for the first stage polymer), ?20° C. (for the second stage polymer) and ?15° C. (for the overall dispersion), respectively. The dispersion is preferably cross-linked with polyfunctional crosslinking agents, such as aziridine, isocyanate, carbodiimide and oxazoline. The adhesives obtained from the process thereof can be used for the application of protective films to reduce or eliminate ghost shadow on the protected surfaces.

Abstract: A method is described for operating machines (10) having moving parts and arranged jointly on a support (32), said parts being moved periodically with substantially the same frequency, and wherein the phase of an oscillation of one machine (10) in relation to the phase of an oscillation of a further machine (10) is controlled by shifting the phases with respect to one another such that the amplitude of an oscillation of a structural part, for example of the support (32), remains below a predefined maximum value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of general formula I wherein R100 and R200 are each independently hydrogen, C1-C10-alkyl which in case of C2-alkyl may be interrupted by one and in case of C3-C10-alkyl by one or two non-adjacent oxygen atoms, C5-C7-cycloalkyl, aryl, aryl-C1-C10-alkyl or aryloxy-C1-C10-alkyl, D is an m-valent (m=1, 2 or 3) donor moiety which comprises at least one carbon-carbon or carbon-heteroatom double bond and/or at least one unfused or fused carbo- or heterocyclic ring, A is an acceptor moiety which comprises at least one carbon-carbon or carbon-heteroatom double bond and/or at least one unfused or fused carbo- or heterocyclic ring, and the donor moiety D and the acceptor moiety A are ?-conjugated to one another. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of compounds of formula I for producing dye-sensitized solar cells and to dye-sensitized solar cells comprising compounds of formula I.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing 1,3 butadien by means of the oxidative dehydration of n-butenes on a heterogenous particulate multimetal oxide catalyst which contains molybdenum as the active compound and at least one other metal and which is filled into the contact tubes (KR) of two or more tube bundle reactors (R-I, R-II), wherein a heat transfer medium flows around the intermediate space between the contact tubes (KR) of the two or more tube bundle reactors (R-I, R-II). The method includes a production mode and a regeneration mode which are carried out in an alternating manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for production of expanded pellets from a thermoplastic elastomer having an elongation at break of more than 100% measured to DIN EN 150 527-2, said process comprising the steps of: (a) pressing a polymer melt comprising a blowing agent through a perforated disk (18) controlled to a temperature between 150° C. and 280° C. and into a pelletizing chamber (26), (b) using a cutting device (20) to comminute the polymer melt pressed through the perforated disk (18) into individual expanding pellets, (c) discharging the pellets from the pelletizing chamber (26) using a liquid stream (36), wherein the blowing agent comprises CO2 or N2 or a combination of CO2 and N2 and the amount of blowing agent in the polymer melt comprising a blowing agent lies in the range from 0.5 to 2.5 wt % and wherein the pelletizing chamber (26) is traversed by a stream of liquid which is controlled to a temperature between 5° C. and 90° C. and the pressure of which is from 0.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of alkali metal salts of glycine or of racemic ?-amino acids of the general formula (I) R1—CH(NH2)—COOH??(I) in which R1 is selected from hydrogen, CH3 , C2H5, CH(CH3)2, (CH2)2COOH and CH2OH, wherein an alkali metal salt of the corresponding ?-ketocarboxylic acid or glyoxalic acid is reacted in the presence of at least one heterogeneous catalyst, which comprises at least one transition metal, in the presence of hydrogen with at least one nitrogen compound at temperatures in the range from 50 to 200° C., where the nitrogen compound is selected from primary and secondary amines and ammonia.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a thermoplastic polyurethane comprising substantially no plasticizers and having a Shore A hardness of 60 or less, which is prepared by a one-step polymerization of i) linear polyol, ii) organic diisocyanate and iii) glycol chain extender mainly comprising ethylene glycol and/or 1,3-propanediol; wherein the linear polyol (i) has a number average molecular weight within the range of from 1.5×103 g/mol to 5.0×103 g/mol. The thermoplastic polyurethane of the present invention can be easily produced by conventional production methods, and the thermoplastic polyurethane thus produced can be molded to articles in practicable processing cycles. Moreover, the thermoplastic polyurethane articles have low shrinkage, have good low-temperature properties and good mechanical properties, and do not harden substantially at low temperature.